Finland Goes Dutch For Leopard 2 Tanks

Finland will sign an agreement with the Netherlands to buy 100 Leopard 2A6 tanks phased out by the Dutch army. The agreement will be signed on 20 January in the Netherlands by Finnish Defense Minister Carl Haglund and his Dutch counterpart, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

Dutch Ministry of Defense archive photo

The sale includes training and the associated documentation and munition, spare parts, and special tools. The tanks will be delivered in tranches ending in 2019. Eighty of the 100 Dutch Leopard 2A6s will be delivered in "preserved state" specially prepared for storage.

The Netherlands decided in April 2011 to get rid of its entire main battle tank force to reduce costs, followed a month later by the disbandment of its two tank battalions, since when the Leopard 2A6s have been in storage. The only remaining tanks in Dutch army service are bridgelayers and armored engineer vehicles.